Impact of a digital health intervention on asthma resource utilization

• Main Authors: Rajan Merchant, Stanley J. Szefler, Bruce G. Bender, Michael Tuffli, Meredith A. Barrett, Rahul Gondalia, Leanne Kaye, David Van Sickle, David A. Stempel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2018-12-01
• Series: World Allergy Organization Journal
• Subjects: Telemedicine; Delivery of health care; Pulmonary medicine; Asthma; Digital health
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40413-018-0209-0

Abstract Digital health interventions have been associated with reduced rescue inhaler use and improved controller medication adherence. This quality improvement project assessed the benefit of these interventions on asthma-related healthcare utilizations, including hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) utilization and outpatient visits. The intervention consisted of electronic medication monitors (EMMs) that tracked rescue and controller inhaler medication use, and a digital health platform that presented medication use information and asthma control status to patients and providers. In 224 study patients, the number of asthma-related ED visits and combined ED and hospitalization events 365 days pre- to 365 days post-enrollment to the intervention significantly decreased from 11.6 to 5.4 visits (p < 0.05) and 13.4 to 5.8 events (p < 0.05) per 100 patient-years, respectively. This digital health intervention was successfully incorporated into routine clinical practice and was associated with lower rates of asthma-related hospitalizations and ED visits.